The city of Los Angeles allegedly ordered homeless people to vacate the area next to this year’s Academy Awards venue about a week before the star-studded event, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.
Union Station, in Downtown L.A. is used by hundreds of homeless people in the city with many living in tents nearby. They were allegedly threatened and ordered to leave in the days leading up to the star-studded event, according to the report.
“They came to us about a week ago saying that we had to move by Friday 6 p.m. because they were trying to clean up for the Oscars,” a homeless man identified as DJ told the station. “They told us if we didn’t move, they were gonna just demolish our stuff and [that] if you have warrants we’re gonna take you to jail.”
Some of the homeless were relocated to a nearby hotel which is approximately 1.5 miles away on foot.
“They forced us to go to the Grand Hotel on 3rd and Figueroa and they kicked everybody out of Union Station so it looks better for the image.”
“They were coming and harassing us three or four times a day…They forced us to go to the Grand Hotel on 3rd and Figueroa and they kicked everybody out of Union Station so it looks better for the image.” DJ, a man living in a tent in downtown Los Angeles told the News outlet.
Homeless rights activists said the city which has a reported homeless population of 91,000, has a history of sweeping the problem under the rug.
“I was taken aback by the [report] but we have a history in Los Angeles… That’s what’s led to a place called Skid Row,” Andy Bales, of the homeless advocacy group Union Rescue Mission said.
Meanwhile, celebrity attendees received “swag bags that contain luxury products and services that range from cosmetics, home goods, spa treatments and vacation vouchers,” according to a New York Times report.